The Excessive-frequency Energetic Auroral Analysis Program facility, or HAARP, is within the midst of a wide-ranging science marketing campaign that can see the power bounce alerts off  the moon and Jupiter.
HAARP consists of 180 antennas designed to transmit alerts into the ionosphere, which stretches from 30 miles (48 kilometers) to 600 miles (965 km) above sea stage and is seen as the realm the place Earth’s ambiance meets space, according to NASA (opens in new tab). The ionosphere performs an necessary function in radio transmission, because it displays radio waves. Many satellites occupy this area of the ambiance, which is closely influenced by solar climate.
HAARP is within the midst of a 10-day analysis marketing campaign that’s the facility’s “largest and most numerous up to now,” HAARP program supervisor Jessica Matthews said in a statement (opens in new tab). Among the many 13 experiments being carried out through the marketing campaign are tasks that can see alerts bounced off the moon and Jupiter so as to take a look at HAARP’s capability to check objects removed from Earth.
Associated: NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): Exploring Earth’s ionosphere
Some of the bold experiments being carried out throughout HAARP’s present marketing campaign is called “Jupiter Bounce,” or “Interplanetary Ionosonde,” according to a statement from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) (opens in new tab). The experiment will take a look at HAARP’s capability to bounce alerts off  the ionosphere of Jupiter, whereas additionally figuring out the power of receivers on the College of New Mexico’s Lengthy Wavelength Array to obtain the mirrored alerts. The experiment is “the most important energetic distant sensing operation in historical past,” in keeping with the UAF assertion.
“It is a first-of-its-kind experiment (which) not less than to my information has by no means been tried earlier than,” HAARP analysis help companies lead Evans Callis told Alaska Public Media (opens in new tab). “We transmit a number of completely different frequencies from HAARP directed at Jupiter. We hear for the echo that returns, and that ought to have the ability to inform us one thing about electromagnetic circumstances round Jupiter.”
One other experiment, generally known as “Moon Bounce,” will see alerts bounced off  the moon again in direction of receivers in New Mexico and California. These alerts will likely be evaluated for his or her use in figuring out the composition of near-Earth asteroids for future planetary protection functions.
In the meantime, HAARP’s “Making the Invisible Seen” experiment will “take a look at if scorching electrons are able to producing the continuum (white) emissions current in STEVE airglow.” STEVE, quick for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, is an aurora-like phenomenon that happens when charged particles from the sun work together with Earth’s ionosphere.Â
“If we see that air glow and it matches the wavelength of sunshine that we see from naturally occurring STEVE, that will give us indication that the recent electrons are taking part in some function within the formation of STEVE,” Callis mentioned.
Learn extra: Odd aurora-like STEVE phenomenon captured in stunning night sky photo
One of many extra distinctive experiments, “Ghosts within the Airglow,” will combine artwork and atmospheric analysis to “play with the liminal boundaries of Earth’s ambiance and outer space,” in keeping with the project’s website (opens in new tab). The experiment will use HAARP to bounce pictures, spoken phrase and sound artwork off  the ionosphere to study extra about radio propagation.
The HAARP facility was constructed in 1993 and initially operated by a number of United States army analysis businesses, together with the Protection Superior Analysis Tasks Company (DARPA), Air Pressure Analysis Laboratory and Workplace of Naval Analysis. In 2015, possession of the power was transferred to the UAF (opens in new tab).
Whereas primarily used for upper-atmospheric analysis, the power has been the topic of numerous conspiracy theories (opens in new tab) within the practically three a long time because it was constructed. Some have accused the U.S. authorities of utilizing the power to change the climate, set off earthquakes, create “chemtrails” and even to broadcast mind-control signals (opens in new tab).Â
So far, there was no proof of the power getting used for thoughts management or something apart from atmospheric analysis. In accordance with the “Steadily Requested Questions” page on HAARP’s website (opens in new tab), “Neuroscience is a posh discipline of research carried out by medical professionals, not scientists and researchers at HAARP.”
Comply with Brett on Twitter at @bretttingley (opens in new tab). Comply with us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or on Facebook (opens in new tab). Â
